Free things to do · Venice · Italy
5 free things to do in Venice
Venice without the ticket prices: sights, walks and views that cost nothing.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Matthias Süßen, CC BY-SA 4.0
_at_night-msu-2021-6449-.jpg){kind=link}
Quick answer
You can fill at least 2 days in Venice without paying an entry fee: St Mark's Square, Rialto Bridge and Market, Burano and Jewish Ghetto are all free. Buy a multi-day vaporetto pass rather than single tickets, which are among the most expensive public-transport fares in Europe.
Key facts
- Free sights in this guide
- 5
- Low-cost extras
- 10
- Cost level
- Expensive
- Lowest hotel prices
- January and November
Free sights and experiences
Landmark · San Marco
1.St Mark's Square
Come at sunrise or after 9pm for the square almost to yourself; sitting at a café with music carries a hefty surcharge.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes–1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- After dark
- Photo spot
- Architecture
Landmark · San Polo
2.Rialto Bridge and Market
Visit the market early in the morning, then have cicchetti in one of the bacari around Campo Cesare Battisti.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Food
- Photo spot
Island · Northern lagoon
3.Burano
Take vaporetto line 12 from Fondamente Nove (about 45 minutes) and arrive in the morning or late afternoon to avoid tour groups.
- Time needed
- Half a day with Murano
- Cost
- Free
- Photo spot
- Kids
- Couples
- Free
- Iconic
_Panorama.jpg){kind=link}
Historic site · Cannaregio
4.Jewish Ghetto
Look for the Holocaust memorial reliefs on the wall of the Campo del Ghetto Novo, and visit with respect, especially on Saturdays.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Free
- Architecture
Waterfront · Dorsoduro
5.Zattere promenade
Look across the canal at the Squero di San Trovaso from the opposite bank, then walk the Zattere at sunset with a gelato.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Couples
- Views
- Food
- Off the beaten path
Free sights by area
| Area | Free sights | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| San Marco | St Mark's Square | 30 minutes–1 hour |
| San Polo | Rialto Bridge and Market | 1 hour |
| Northern lagoon | Burano | Half a day with Murano |
| Cannaregio | Jewish Ghetto | 1 hour |
| Dorsoduro | Zattere promenade | 1 hour |
Worth a small ticket
Religious site · San Marco
St Mark's Basilica
Cover shoulders and knees, leave large bags at the free deposit nearby and buy the museum ticket for the loggia view.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Art
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
Viewpoint · San Marco
St Mark's Campanile
Go early or just before sunset; avoid being up there on the hour when the bells ring loudly.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- Iconic
- Kids
- Photo spot
Experience · Grand Canal
Grand Canal by vaporetto
Board at Piazzale Roma or Ferrovia to get a seat at the front or rear outdoor sections, and ride towards San Marco.
- Time needed
- About 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Views
- Kids
- Couples
- Photo spot
.jpg){kind=link}
Religious site · San Polo
Basilica dei Frari
Combine it with the Scuola Grande di San Rocco, a minute's walk away.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes–1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
- Architecture
.jpg){kind=link}
Gallery · San Polo
Scuola Grande di San Rocco
Pick up a mirror at the entrance to the upper hall and take your time; it is rarely crowded.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Off the beaten path
- Rainy day
- History
Island · Northern lagoon
Murano
Ignore touts offering a 'free boat' to a factory; find a furnace on the island yourself and look for the Vetro Artistico Murano mark when buying.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Shopping
- Art
- History
Island · Northern lagoon
Torcello
Reach it from Burano by a short ferry ride and climb the bell tower for the lagoon view.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Off the beaten path
- History
- Art
- Nature
Religious site · San Giorgio
San Giorgio Maggiore
Take vaporetto line 2 from San Zaccaria for a two-minute crossing, and go up the tower in late afternoon.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- Architecture
- Art
- Couples
Beach · Lido
Lido di Venezia
Rent a bike near the vaporetto stop and ride south along the sea wall to the fishing village of Malamocco.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Active
- Nature
.jpg){kind=link}
Museum · Dorsoduro
Ca' Rezzonico
Combine it with a spritz in nearby Campo Santa Margherita.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
- Architecture
More ways to save
- Buy a multi-day vaporetto pass rather than single tickets, which are among the most expensive public-transport fares in Europe.
- Eat cicchetti standing at the bar for lunch or an early dinner instead of a full restaurant meal.
- Drink coffee standing at the counter; table service on St Mark's Square costs many times more.
- Venice charges day visitors an access fee on selected peak days; check the city's official site, as overnight guests are treated differently.
- Staying in Mestre cuts hotel costs sharply, at the price of commuting by train or bus.
- Visit from November to March, outside Christmas and Carnival, for the lowest hotel rates.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Venice expensive to visit?
Venice is expensive for most visitors, but 5 of its best-known sights are free, which makes a tight budget workable.
+What is the best free thing to do in Venice?
St Mark's Square: Come at sunrise or after 9pm for the square almost to yourself; sitting at a café with music carries a hefty surcharge.